Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-11-22


fingers" he adds.
at appears from ,h- above estimate.
that my food alone COS, me Ia money about
twenty.seven cents . week. II Was. for
nearly t~o years afisr this. rye and Indian
meal without yeast, potatoes, rice. very
little cal, pork, molssses and salt aud
my drink water" Observe, he did not
adhere entirely to vegetable diet. since
be admits eating woodehuck. and "a ui.
tie al, pork" 'lt WAS IT," be says,
"ihst I should live GA rice. mainly. who
loved 90 veil the PHILOSOPHY Of India"
With the other farmers Of New EaslAnd.
he devoted these summers to husbandry.
"No,." he ays) ",hat ! wanted beans
to eat. for I am by nature PyihAsoresn
40 FAR A beans are concerned. whs,hsr
they mean poridse OF voting. and eS.
changed them for rics.'
lie appears. In this respect ~ 10 many
other ways. to have been an exceptional
New Enslsndsr. else ~e might conclude
,hs, be purchased hi' pork to cook with
bean. After all. he was no doubt
good deal Of = vegetarian. ~ tais may
show. "Oae farmer says to me. 'ioa
canno, live oa vegetable focd solely. for
IL furnishes nothing to make bones With
and 80 be rlisIOa.ly d-vO,ss a part Of
hi. day TO supplying hi, system With the
raw material Of bones; walking ell the
while be talk. bshiad bis oxen. which.
with vsse,sbls.m.ds bones. jerk him aud
bis lumbsring plough along Ia spite OF
every obstacle" "I have" he ssy')
"msde . salisfAe,ofy dinner. satisfactory
on several accounts, simply oil di'h OF
par.l.ia. which I gathered In my corn.
field. boiled sad sal,ed. Add. pray.
~hs, more can reasonable man desire. In
peaceful times. Ia ordinary moons. than
saiiicisn, number OF ears of green swee,
corn boiled ~ilh the addition Of salt
Even the little variety which ! used was
. yielding 10 the demands OF sPpeii,c
aud no, Of health. Yet men have c,me
to such . pa. tha, they ffequenily s,sr'e
not Coz want of necessaries. bat Tor ~sa'
Of laxuriss aud know q good woman
Who ,hinks tha, her son lOsl bic life be.
cause be took TO dfiaking water only."
lie does no, tell us ~hs, she wished him
10 dnnk. "Mo.; OF the laIuriss," :" (hc
coa,end.) "snd msny of the so-ealled
comforts " life. are no, only not iaiis-
pen.able. ba, positive hindraness TO the
elevation Of msukind. With respect TO
iaxarie, and comforts. the wl'es, have
ever lived . mote simpls aud meassf life
than the poor"
Thoreau IL down on all unnecessary
outlay Ia baildiass Of ell kipd' Says
be. III one designs To construct . dwell.
Ing house. IL bshOo,es him to exercise
little Yankee ,hrewdne.s. lee, after all.
he 6ad himself In . wOrk.hoass. lAby-
ninth without . elsw, . museum, en-
aims house. . prison. OF . splendid maa-
.Olegm instead" "0nnied tha, the
m.joriiy are able at last either to ovn OF
hire the modem house With ell iis i'm
pfo,emeni. While civilization hA, been
improving our houses. It b. no, equally
improved the men Who are to inhaei'
them. lths created palaces. ba. u Was
no, easy 10 create nobIemen and klns'.
And II the civilized mans pursuits are
no worlhlsf than the ssvases. II he sem.
ployed the greater part of his life IN OBJ
t.inins gros. nsesssaries and comforts
merely. shy should be have . better
dssllins ihan the former p
lie va. alike opposed To expensive
furniiure and drts.. "why." be s'ks.
should not our furniture be /. sin.
pie q. the Arabs OF lndisn's' Aiprss.ni
our house, .re ela,,srrd and dehIsd With
IL, aud t. good hOa.e~ife would sweep
out the greater part into the dust hole
and lesss her mornings work andone.
Speaking u visitors. he says: 81 had
three chairs In my house one for 'ol'.
,uds. t~o for friendship. three Tor soeie.
~. When visitors came In larger and
unexpected numbers. there Was bat the
third chair for them al. ba, they gene.
orally seosomiied the room by standing
up" Ia another place he says. .flfe Is
the mo., ,olerabls third party" lie dis.
esrded curtains Ia bis house. sayins."l
have no gszss TO shu, Oh, bat the sun
and mooa. and I AN willing that they
should look 10. A lady once Offered me
. mat, but - had no room to spare
within the house. nor time 10 spare with.
Ia or wi,hou, TO shake IL, | declined u.
prsieuing TO wipe my feet on the sod be-
fore my door. ], is beat to avoid the
beginnings Of evil" Homework he
found q plsasan, pas,ime. When bis
floor needed washing. be rose early, se,.
ting ell Of his furniture out OF doors on
the grass, bed and bsdsiesd making but
one budget. dashed water on the hoof.
aud sprinkled white sand from the pond
on u, aud then with broom scrubbed u
clean and white. at VAS pleasant. he
say,) "io see his whole household ELECTS
oa, on the grass. where they look ,h'm.
selves a. though glad 10 ge, on, aud un.
willing to be brough, in" Ia dtess he
was plain, even to coarseness. pfeferring
old to new clothes, because "every day.
be says, "our garments become more aud
more s.simila,ed to ourselves. receiving
the impress Of the wesrers character.
No man." he sdds. sever stood the lower
ia my estimation for having patch In
his clothes; yet ! Am sure there is great
CT anxiety. commonly. TO have fashion.
able. or at less, clean and unps,ched
clothes, than TO have = soand COO.
.cienee." Emerson says: "lt vas =
pleasure and . privilege 10 walk With
him. lie knew the eoun,ry hks . fox or
bird. and passed through Il I. freely
by paths Of his own. lie knew every
track in the snow OF on the ground. and
what creature had taken his path before
him. One mus, submit, stjscily to such
. guide, and the reward Was great.
Under his arm he carried On old music
book 10 press plants in his pocket his
diary and pencil, sPy.glas' ior birds.
microscope. jsek.kaifs and twine. lie
wore q straw hat. stout shoes, strong
gray trousers, to brave shrab-oaks and
SIMILAR, and 10 climb . tree for . hawks
M . .ouisr.rs neat"